Underwater Demolition Team
| Underwater Demolition Teams | |
|---|---|
Patch of the Underwater Demolition Teams.
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| Active | 15 August 1942 – 1 January 1983 |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | United States Navy |
| Type | Amphibious warfare |
| Role |
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| Garrison/HQ |
Fort Pierce, Florida, U.S. Maui, Hawaii, U.S. |
| Nickname(s) | UDT, The Frogmen |
| Engagements |
Operation Overlord Battle of Iwo Jima Battle of Okinawa Operation Torch Borneo campaign Battle of Peleliu Battle of Saipan Battle of Tinian Battle of Guam Battle of Leyte Invasion of Lingayen Gulf Korean War Vietnam War |
The Underwater Demolition Teams (UDT) were an elite special-purpose force established by the United States Navy during World War II. They also served during the Korean War and the Vietnam War. Their primary function was to reconnoiter and destroy enemy defensive obstacles on beaches prior to amphibious landings. They also were the frogmen who retrieved astronauts after splashdown in the Mercury through Apollo manned space flight programs.
The UDTs reconnoitered beaches and the waters just offshore, locating reefs, rocks, and shoals that would interfere with landing craft. They also used explosives to demolish underwater obstacles planted by the enemy. As the U.S. Navy's elite combat swimmers, they were employed to breach the cables and nets protecting enemy harbors, plant limpet mines on enemy ships, and locate and mark mines for clearing by minesweepers. They also conducted river surveys and foreign military training.
The UDTs pioneered combat swimming, closed-circuit diving, underwater demolitions, and midget submarine (dry and wet submersible) operations. They were the precursor to the present-day United States Navy SEALs.
In 1983, after additional SEAL training, the UDTs were re-designated as SEAL Teams or Swimmer Delivery Vehicle Teams (SDVTs). SDVTs have since been re-designated SEAL Delivery Vehicle Teams.
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Wikipedia